🌱Mayor Has Plan To Reduce Traffic +100 People Move To Charlotte Daily

Good morning, everybody! It's me, Alexis Goring, your host of the Daily. Here's all the community news you need to know right now, including...

• Long lines of tractor-trailers parked along major exits on interstates is a growing problem that North Carolina leaders say needs to be addressed amid growing concerns.
• Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles hopes to speak with Republican House Speaker Tim Moore soon and convince him that the city’s $13.5 billion transit plan will reduce congestion.
• Each day, approximately 100 people move to the Queen City.

But first, today's weather:

Breezy and cooler. High: 54 Low: 34.

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Here are the top five stories in Charlotte today:

1. "Long lines of tractor-trailers parked along major exits on interstates is a growing problem that North Carolina leaders say needs to be addressed amid growing concerns. From soil erosion to safety hazards, state leaders say it's a systematic problem. Rep. Nasif Majeed says it's getting worse, with more trucks parked on the side of busy interstates in the last six-to-eight months," WCNC reports. (WCNC.com)
2. "Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said Thursday she hopes to speak with Republican House Speaker Tim Moore soon and convince him that the city’s $13.5 billion transit plan will reduce congestion. Earlier this week, Moore dismissed the city’s plan, which would spend 80% of the money on light rail and buses, along with smaller amounts for greenways, bike lanes, sidewalks and roads. In a forum Monday at the Charlotte Business Alliance, Moore said repeatedly that transit is impractical, and that the city needs to spend more money on roads. Lyles said on "Charlotte Talks" Thursday that she hopes she can change his opinion," WFAE reports. (WFAE)
3. "There’s construction from Uptown to South End, to Charlotte’s suburbs and beyond. Each day, approximately 100 people move to the Queen City. With all those new people, the need for more environmentally friendly transportation grows. Charlotte has ranked among the most polluted cities in the Southeast in recent years, according to a report from the American Lung Association. Shannon Binns, the founder of Sustain Charlotte, suggests people make small changes in a more green direction," WCCB Charlotte reports. (WCCB Charlotte)
4. "The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles said it has been receiving complaints from customers who have been targeted by scammers claiming to be representatives of either the DMV or the N.C. Department of Transportation. Officials said many DMV customers are receiving scam emails from a group claiming to be from the “Department of Transportation” and encouraging targeted individuals to click on a link to pay a fine for an alleged driving violation," WCNC reports. (WCNC.com)
5. "The Dilworth construction site where three men fell to their deaths on Jan. 2 had never been inspected by the North Carolina Department of Labor. That isn’t uncommon. North Carolina has about one compliance officer per county to conduct safety inspections. Many work sites are never inspected — unless there’s a tragedy. Carol Brooke, senior attorney at the North Carolina Justice Center, says the state has grappled with this problem since at least the early '90s, when 25 poultry workers died in a fire, while locked inside the Imperial Food Products plant in Hamlet, North Carolina," WFAE reports. (WFAE)

Today in Charlotte:

• Charlotte Regional Farmers Market (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
• Weekend Live Music and Food Trucks at Blue Blaze Brewing (12:00 p.m.)
• Stephen Sharer concert in Ovens Auditorium (6:00 p.m.)
• Brooke McBride Music at Sugar Creek Brewing Company (6:00 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Restaurants To Try In 2023 In North Carolina And South Carolina (K104.7)
• Here Is Why A Popular Charlotte, North Carolina Steakhouse Got A "B" (kiss951.com)
• Healthy Headlines: Human Trafficking Awareness (WCCB Charlotte)
• Congratulations to our Outstanding Officers of the Month for December! Their phenomenal stories included some life-saving work. Central Division Officer Christopher Hagan was at Trade and Tryon Street. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department via Facebook)
• DWI Task Force Officer Louis McFry continues to lead the way in cracking down on drunk driving. He was named CMPD's 2022 DWI Enforcer of the Year! It's the second straight year he's gotten this honor. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department via Facebook)
• We serve our community every day in many ways. In 2022, Charlotte Fire responded to 137,369 incidents. On average, a Charlotte Fire truck got on the road to serve every THREE SECONDS. (Charlotte Fire Department, Charlotte NC via Facebook)
• Choreographer Spotlight // Meet Innovative Works Choreographer Helen Simoneau! Helen Simoneau is a choreographer, teacher and Guggenheim Fellow (2021). She has been commissioned by the Ailey School. (Charlotte Ballet via Facebook)
• We're excited to celebrate a member of the Classroom Central family. Join us in congratulating Mixed Media Artist and High School Art teacher Tina Vincent (also the beautiful wife of Jon Vincent, our Warehouse Coordinator)! (Classroom Central via Facebook)
• Choreographer Spotlight // Meet Innovative Works Choreographer Jennifer Archibald!⁠ ⁠ Jennifer Archibald is the founder and Artistic Director of the Arch Dance Company and Program Director of ArchCore40 Dance Intensives. (Charlotte Ballet via Facebook)
• On Tap makes its debut at Midnight Mulligan Brewing on Jan. 27! Enjoy a performance by the Charlotte Symphony in the taproom at 7:30 p.m. Tickets just $20! >> bit.ly/csomidnight (Charlotte Symphony via Facebook)
• The City of Charlotte's Civic Leadership Academy (CLA) Applications are now OPEN – Apply by Jan. 26! It is a free 13-course program designed for Charlotte residents who are ready to take the next step in being. (City of Charlotte Housing & Neighborhood Services via Facebook)
• We're looking for all kinds of pets to be a part of our pet therapy program! Rabbits, guinea pigs, and of course, pups! All dogs must be TDI or Delta Society certified dogs. (Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Charlotte via Facebook)
• Join us for the return of Community Read in March 2023! Community Read is the Library’s month-long effort to have the community read (or listen) to books of current and relevant topics and participate in discussions. (Charlotte Mecklenburg Library via Facebook)
• Indulge us as we salute our awesome board president, Caleb Holloway. The Mecklenburg County Bar awarded Caleb the 2023 Julius L. Chambers Diversity Award for his outstanding efforts to champion diversity and inclusion in Mecklenburg. (Brave Step via Facebook)
• LGBTQ+ affirming employers in CLT—we need you! Are you an organization that values inclusion and understands that a diversity of voices strengthens and moves us all forward? We hope you'll support us as we endeavor. (Charlotte Pride via Facebook)
• Are you currently a college student? Do you enjoy graphic design? Want hundreds of scholars to wear your original design on their summer shirts? Then this contest is for YOU! We need talented college students to design. (Charlotte Freedom School Partners via Facebook)
• Join our first therapist-led survivors’ book club where you will be guided on a reading journey through Brené Brown's Atlas of the Heart. The experience will help you better understand yourself and others, name and loosen stuck feelings. (Brave Step via Facebook)
• FYI: This is a good look at the potential impacts of a strike by CATS bus drivers. We hope that the drivers' union and the company that employs the drivers can reach an agreement that creates better conditions for drivers in time. (Sustain Charlotte via Facebook)
• Missing these iconic 80s Movies in Concert would be simply…inconceivable! Experience The Princess Bride, Return of the Jedi, and Raiders of the Lost Ark as you’ve never seen them before! Subscribe to three and SAVE. (Charlotte Symphony via Facebook)
• The #2023CharterAwards are open for submissions through Jan. 13. The Congress for the New Urbanism Charter Awards recognize outstanding achievements in architecture, landscape and urban design, and planning worldwide...(City of Charlotte Government via Facebook)

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You're all caught up for today. I'll see you around!

— Alexis Goring

About me: My name is Alexis A. Goring. I'm an East Coast Girl with a pulse for people, news and feature stories! I've worked as a freelance writer/editor/proofreader in the media industry for 15 years. I'm also a published author, experienced blogger, and founder of Writer at Heart Editorial Services. Visit my website for more details about me and my work. Here's the link: https://alexisagoring.jimdofree.com.

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